Talking Without Words
by tromana
Summary: Erimem's full of questions. Doesn't mean Peri can answer them, though.


**Title:** Talking Without Words  
**Author:** tromana  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Characters:** Peri/Erimem  
**Spoilers:** None  
**Summary:** Erimem's full of questions and answers. Doesn't mean Peri can understand them.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who. I'm just playing.

**Talking Without Words**

The Doctor had disappeared into the depths of the TARDIS. He had explained to the two young women that it was for maintenance checks. Peri had snorted at the thought. The TARDIS was uncontrollable at the best of times, so, usually the Doctor avoided work at all costs. He seemed to much prefer exploring wherever the machine landed than bothering to do any work on the time and space machine. Peri believed it was more likely that he found two teenage human girls exhausting and needed the space.

"Peri?" Erimem looked quizzical as she stared at her friend. "I would like to thank you for the English lessons, but, how do I understand you and the Doctor generally? I know I am speaking in my own tongue and you, yours, but we have no problem conversing."

Peri was stumped, least of all for the reason why she had asked her and not the Doctor. All the time she'd spent travelling with the Doctor and Erimem, it was a thought that had never crossed her mind. She'd been to so many places with them, and understood the indigenous species in them all, not once questioning why they all sounded English, and responded when she spoke to them.

"Well," Peri started and Erimem stared at her, thoroughly confused. "I don't know."

"Peri, I do not understand you," Erimem fretted. "I can understand the odd word, but not all of them."

Peri stared blankly at Erimem, in total incomprehension. Obviously, Erimem was now speaking in her native tongue. It had never come across Peri to ask the Doctor why, whenever she visited places with him, the natives all spoke perfectly clear English. And now, Erimem was standing before her, gabbling away and she had no idea what she was saying.

"I thought I understood," Erimem concluded. "I thought maybe it was because we wanted to understand each other that we could, however, now I am not so sure."

With Erimem's Pidgin English, and a lot of flamboyant arm gestures, they eventually began to get through to one another. Peri lifted a slim finger to her lips and Erimem immediately fell silent. Peri approached Erimem slowly, silently and gently placed a kiss on the younger woman's lips. Erimem lost all thoughts of the language barrier that had been thrown up between them, and immediately began scrabbling at the buttons on Peri's blouse. Peri laughed slightly at Erimem's anticipation and grabbed one of her hands. They needed to find somewhere significantly more comfortable than the console room.

The Doctor frowned as he realised exactly what circuit he had accidentally attacked in order to repair the view screen. He sincerely hoped that it wouldn't be too much of a hassle for Peri and Erimem and quickly set about repairing the damage he had just caused. All the time, he was whispering apologies to the TARDIS; no doubt she would start causing even more problems for him now.

"Peri," Erimem whispered, stroking a hand down her back. "I love you."

"Pardon?"

Erimem beamed, understanding what Peri had said for the first time in half an hour.

"Never mind," she whispered. "Doesn't matter."

Eventually, he emerged from the innards of the TARDIS, his beige coat and pinstriped trousers smeared with grease and oil. He sighed, wiping his hands on the trousers, making them thoroughly messier. At least both problems were, theoretically, sorted for now. The TARDIS was fairly quiet, conspicuously so, considering he was travelling with two teenage human girls. The trail of discarded clothing was also rather conspicuous, but it didn't stop the Doctor investigating.

He opened the door where the trail finished and announced, "I've sorted out the…" he trailed off, flushing bright red. "I'll come back later."

The Doctor slammed the door shut and he could swear that he heard rather loud laughter at his expense.

end


End file.
